


Love Without A Face

by sayitwithwords



Category: Free!
Genre: Adorable Tachibana Makoto, F/M, Free! - Freeform, Makoto is a Sweetheart, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-16 13:50:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12343953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sayitwithwords/pseuds/sayitwithwords
Summary: Even if in silence, they dedicated a bit of their day to make you feel good, and if you didn't admit that made you want to give something back, you would be lying to yourself.





	Love Without A Face

It didn't really matter how many times it happened in a week, or a month, you were never expecting it. It was always an adorable surprise. So that morning, when you entered the classroom with a mess of grammar and equations floating around on your mind, the big box waiting on your desk surprised you yet again.   
  
Your classmates were all standing around the desk and whispering to each other, calling out for you to open it. It was already known in your class that any time during the day, you'd be bumping on presents or letters from someone as dear as they were secretive. There wasn't a name to the gestures, only a letter.   
  
You were okay with your classmates peeking around you to see the presents, but you'd never allowed them to read the letters. Even if you didn't know the person who gave it to you, you felt like you'd be mocking them by exposing something so private, that was given to you and no one else.   
  
Making fun of that sweet, shy and perfect angel that followed you around (somehow always one step ahead) and left sweet words and gifts behind for you to find was the last thing you would do. It was, indeed, a bit frustrating to wish to thank someone and perhaps give some love back in these circumstances. Never had your admirer slipped a name in all those letters. There was one letter, yes, M. But that told you nothing.  
  
"(f/n)-san, stop daydreaming and open it!" You blinked and turned to look at one of your closest friends, who was impatiently tapping your shoulder. With a nod, you left your backpack on the chair and slid the box closer to you.   
  
It wasn't perfectly wrapped, you could see some hints they've opened and closed it at least twice by the marks on the tape. You didn't mind it, it actually enhanced the fact it had been a real person putting that all together just for you. You smiled and pulled the tape off from the side of the box. It was a simple red box, with a small card hanging by a thread.   
  
_"I whale always love you. M"_  
  
That was the cheesiest thing ever, especially the pun. But you figured what it meant as soon as you peeked inside the box. There stood a huge killer whale plush toy, with adorable green eyes shining up at you. It was big enough to cover your whole torso, so you decided not to take it off the box. That didn't keep you from sinking your fingers in the soft fleece, a smile plastered on your face.   
  
"That's so adorable, (f/n)! You've got to find out who's doing this."   
"Mhm," you muttered, giving the whale two pats before you closed the box again. "I really want to know, but-" You looked up and your eyes met Haruka's.   
  
You couldn't say you knew him well, you didn't talk often, and he was the only one who didn't get up from his desk to check what was going on. Still, the way he was looking all worried and suspicious at you didn't go unnoticed; neither how quick he turned back around when your eyes met his.   
  
You smiled at your classmates and put the box down next to your chair, glad they were all going back to their own affairs. Three of the girls who used to hang out with you stayed behind, giggling and commenting on how lucky you were. If you found this guy, you'd be the happiest girl on the planet; romanticism wasn't dead after wall.   
  
Something was nagging you at the back of your head, telling you to approach Haruka-san and get some answers. Could he be the one leaving you gifts? No, it didn't seem so. There was no reason for him to sign with an M, unless he really wanted to avert all the attention from himself. But that still didn't explain how concerned with the whole situation he'd looked.   
  
In spite of being an extrovert, you were finding it hard to think of what to say to him. He wasn't your friend, just a classmate, so it would sound weird to just ask about the whole deal out of nowhere. You could at least find an excuse to talk to him.   
There was a Science group project due next month, maybe you could ask him if he wanted to work with you. You knew he was part of the school's swimming club, but he didn't seem to be close to anyone in your class, so you could at least try.   
  
"Good morning," You had taken a step to Haruka's desk when the teacher's voice stopped you. "I'm sorry I'm late, we'll get started right away so you'll have time to finish your exercises. Please, sit."  
With a groan, you walked back and sat down. Your shoe touched the box and you looked at it.   
  
Of course all this idea could lead to nothing. Maybe Haruka was just lost in his own thoughts or worried about something else. What were the odds of you being right? But your heart seemed to believe it was a lead, and your mind was working ten times faster, trying to tie loose ends. There was no way around it though, you would only know if you addressed the issue with the boy.   
  
And you scribbled down notes about the faceless admirer the entire lesson, things you wanted to say to him. You would find him, because you wouldn't stop looking.  
  


* * *

  
With a sweep of your hand, you threw your books inside your backpack and carried the plush toy's box to the classroom's door. You had time until your next class, but you still wanted to talk to Haruka, and he seemed in a great rush that morning. He'd almost flown off the classroom as soon as you were dismissed, which cause you to run after him."  
  
Ignoring the confused shouts from your friends, you chased the boy, groaning every time the box slipped down from your arm.   
"Haruka-san!" You grabbed his sleeve.   
"What?" He didn't look exactly mad, but you still let go of him.  
Leaving the box on the ground right in front of him, you looked up and examined his expression for a clue. The concern you'd seen in the classroom earlier wasn't there anymore, just the slight hint of annoyance. You gulped, looking back at your gift.   
  
All those thoughts about the group project vanished, the only thing you really wanted to know was about M. He had to know about it, his blank expression wasn't enough to cover the way he kept glancing down at the box. You sighed.   
"Please, tell me who gave this to me."  
  
"How should I know?" He shrugged and went on his way.  
"I'm sure you know. Please." You grabbed the box and followed. "If they can't tell me, you should. I need to know."  
  
"Why?" You bumped into him when he stopped again. "It might be better if you don't know. No one gets hurt this way."   
Was he serious? All those secrets because they were afraid you wouldn't like them back, or that you'd hurt them? How could you not like someone who dedicated their precious time making you smile? It was literally impossible not to fall in love with the dedication alone.  
  
Whoever the admirer was, they'd made you feel loved, worthy, happy. It had been months ever since the letters started, followed by gifts and occasional flowers left behind in spots they knew you'd find them. Even if in silence, they dedicated a bit of their day to make you feel good, and if you didn't admit that made you want to give something back, you would be lying to yourself.   
  
You were dying to know them, to reciprocate half the colorful notes in your locker, wishing you a good day; you couldn't skip lunch when you had such a motivational post-it telling you how important it was for your health, or how beautiful you were by keeping your healthy diet every day. You just wanted to make them smile too.  
  
It didn't matter how concerned Haruka was, hurting someone so caring was the last thing you wanted to do.   
"I want to thank them, give back as much as they give me everyday. Why would I hurt them?"  
"So what, (f/n)? You love him? You've never even seen him."  
  
"Of course I do. What do you think I'd feel for someone who treats me this way? I want to love him back. This is not about looks, that's just stupid."  
  
He opened the glass door that would take you to the pool and you followed him out. He wasn't giving you an answer, and you could feel the anxiety getting the better of you. You knew that stomping your foot on the ground wouldn't make him change his mind faster at that point, but you really felt like it. It just seemed so unfair, all of it. You felt like you deserved to know.   
  
"Haruka-san, listen..."  
"Can you just be patient?" He stepped further away from you, stopping right in front of a steel door with a warning on it. It simply stated you had to belong to the swimming club to enter, so you let yourself stay put.  
  
You took a good look at your surroundings. The only thing you knew about that outdoor pool was that it'd been closed for a long time, that was why people didn't go there often. But now that you had the chance to see what it looked like, you couldn't help but consider it a job well done by the swimming club.  
They'd cleaned the whole place and took special care of the pool all by themselves. If that wasn't dedication, then you didn't know what was.   
  
You got closer to the edge and peeked at the water while a second voice joined Haruka's whispers near the closet. You looked up and found a pair of green eyes already staring. The connection was quickly broken though, when the boy looked down. He was still talking to Haruka, but you couldn't hear what they were saying. Taking an unconscious step further, you watched as Haruka turned to you.   
"(f/n), come here."   
  
You left your box down on the ground and continued to step further until you were right next to Haruka. The other boy was looking at everything but you, and his hands were nervously fiddling with an elastic band he had on his wrist. You knew he was M, there was no other explanation for how shy he was acting. Besides, Haruka was already exposing him.   
"This is Makoto. I don't think I need to tell you who he is." He sighed and took a last glance at you before he turned. "I should let you talk, I'm gonna go for a swim."  
  
It was the moment you had been waiting to happen for a while. You thought you were ready for it, but nothing could prepare you to stand there, lips sealed and blushing. And Makoto was exactly in the same predicament.   
  
You swallowed dryly, before you forced yourself to talk. You had been hoping to meet him forever, you couldn't let the opportunity go. No matter how shy he was and how stuck you felt, there was a lot you wanted to say to him.   
  
"Makoto-san... thank you for all the things you've been giving me. The messages, and... the gifts."  
"I'm sorry." You looked up when he finally spoke. "I didn't want to embarrass you at all, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to you."   
  
"You didn't, I felt very special." You cleared your throat. "I understand you were shy and it's hard for you to talk to people, but... all your gestures, they made me happy. And I wanted to know who you were for a while."  
  
With a trembling hand, you reached for his.   
"Please, let me give something back to you?"  
"I..." He looked up and you felt a little dizzy under his scrutiny. He really did have beautiful eyes, even if he seemed so worried. "You don't have to..."  
  
You chuckled and squeezed his hand. You figured you'd have to be a bit braver so he could feel more comfortable too.   
"I want to, Makoto-san. I fell in love with you too and I could never show it. Let me?"  
  
With a shaky breath, you rose on your toes and hesitated only a second before you kissed his cheek. You could feel his heart beating faster against the hand on his chest and it seemed to match your own beating. It was a funny thing, you thought.   
  
"I love you." He suddenly breathed out. You knew you were blushing, but the feeling was mutual, and now that you could be clear about it, you wanted to make sure it came out of your mouth too.   
"I love you too."  
  
A delightful feeling took over you when he smiled, throwing his arms around you in a tight hug. You leaned your head against his shoulder, thinking about how lucky you were someone so caring had fallen in love with your simple self.   
  
"Finally, I can have you in my arms."

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2015, rewritten in 2017.  
> Thanks for reading! You can also find this on deviantart, under the same username so it's easy to find. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed! Talk to me sometimes, my tumblr's himedere-swaan!


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